«Մէքթուպ իմ Պէպկօն» - Արա Քէշիշեան

“A Letter To Grandpa”                                                                                                 
by Ara Kechichian   / Translated by V.H.Apelian                                               

In my dream when I saw you                                                                                        
You had come to say something,                                                                                     
I saw you much troubled                                                                                                    
You were right to be angry                                                                            
A stick in your hand, you made me afraid                                   
White garment, white beard                                                    
 I had not seen you like that, Grandpa                                    
You had come to visit me                                                         
I saw a longing in your gaze                                                     
For the land, the air and the water of Kessab                                  
I saw a thirty-years long, longing.                                                
I know you found my house with difficulty                     
Kessab has changed nowadays                                                      
You had difficulty finding your ward                                     
The house you built exists no more                                     
Did you look for the mulberry tree you planted?              
The Laurel tree and the walnut tree?                              
The oven place, we sold it                                                 
We got rid of the Balent’s section                                      
We had a building erected in the orchard                            
and bought a car instead
We purchased many and many new things                                    
We built a new Kessab                                                                   
“It is now that I just died”, you said                                        
You were right to say so                                                                
You were right to be angry                                                                 
You have the right to beat me                                                        
To cast me in a fire                                                                      
You had a right to return to say                                                        
In one glance, I understood you                                                       
At that very moment I opened your wounds                       
Kessab is a legacy handed to us                                         
Destined for passing it on to our grandchildren 
Claiming ownership of our lands                                             
“the land cannot be sold”, you said                                     
 “The land sustains the person”                                                                    
You had a right to say so                                                                                  
And be angry at me.                                                                                         
I opened my eyes, you were not there, Grandpa                                          
You left troubled, do not go, Grandpa                                                         
I wish you had come earlier                                                            
Openend my blinded eyes                                                                             
I promise you Grandpa                                                                                 
To safeguard our lands                                                                             
Given to us as a legacy by our elders                                                      
Come back, come back, sweat Grandpa                                                       
I promise you, Grandpa                                                                              
To guard our lands                                                                                          
The legacy of our elders                                                                          
Come back, come back, Sweet Grandpa